48 people appear in court on drug dealing charges

Gardaí have praised communities for reporting drugs crimes, saying they have led to the arrests of 48 people.

It was part of three separate operations tackling drug dealing networks.

The six-month undercover operations were rolled out to address concerns about drug abuse in Cavan, Portlaoise and Blanchardstown in Dublin.

In Blanchardstown, 17 men and one woman were brought before Judge David McHugh.

They were all arrested in the past few days and are facing drug dealing offences.

The drugs vary from tablets to cannabis and so far all of the accused have been granted legal aid and remanded on continuing bail until April when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is expected to have made a decision on how to deal with their cases.

The youngest person arrested was 16, which gardaí say shows the ruthlessness of drugs gangs.

Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau says the arrests could not have taken place without help from locals.